Khawaja brothers’ judicial remand extended till Sept 17

LAHORE (92 News) – An accountability court in Lahore on Friday extended the judicial remand of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PMLN) leader Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique till September 17 in the Paragon Housing Society scandal case. Khawaja brothers presented before Judge Jawadul Hassan after their judicial remand expired. Former attorney general of Pakistan and senior counsel Ashtar Ausaf submitted his vakalatnama on behalf of Khawaja Saad Rafique. NAB special prosecutor Ali Sultan Tipu filed written reply against the acquittal petition of the Khawaja brothers who have pleaded not guilty in the case. The court has also summoned the counsels to argue over the acquittal plea of the accused in the next hearing. In the previous hearing, the court indicted PMLN leader Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique in the Paragon Housing Scheme case. They have both denied the charges leveled against them. The court also summoned witnesses against the PML-N leaders at the next hearing on September. It is pertinent to mention here that Saad Rafique is accused of holding major shares in Paragon City, however, he denies this and says he only owns a few houses and land in the society. arlier on April 26, the NAB Lahore approved the filing of a reference against the Khawaja brothers and Nadeem Zia for the alleged corruption in the same case. The decision was taken in a regional board meeting that was attended by NAB Lahore’s director general and other directors. On December 11, Khawaja brothers were arrested after the Lahore High Court did not extend their interim bail. In the previous hearing on August 20, the indictment of the Khawaja brothers was delayed due to non-provision of readable copies of the reference to the suspects by the NAB, and subsequently Judge Syed Jawadul Hassan extended their judicial remand till September 4. According to NAB, Saad Rafique colluded with his wife, brother, Qaiser Amin Butt and Nadeem Zia to form Paragon Housing Society. The Lahore Development Authority remarked that the housing project was unapproved. The former federal minister is accused of misusing his authority and causing billions of rupees loss to the country.